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Sicko-Delic by Hayley Arjona

A Psychedelic Satirical Spectacle

What can I say, I love it! It’s refreshing, ironic, even caustic at times, powerful and definitely surreal. Here are Hayley’s latest works as well as some pointers on how she perceives her own work. Have some pure Aussie redneck fun!

I never know what to say about my work, there is just so much in there. Some stuff I meant, some stuff which just happens and some stuff which happens because I don’t know what I mean yet. My inspirations are all around me and in my head, one in the same! The head up the arse symbol, featured frequently, is from a t-shirt logo I remember from my youth. I approach each painting session with simple intentions, like a series of problems to be solved, but then the painting takes over, I find myself in some kind of meditative state. Things happen out of my control. I am especially fond of using Fluorescent dry pigment at the moment, I mix it into conventional oil paints. Once bitten by these hyper colours its hard to look back!

Music is a key part of my practice, I can’t paint without it. At the moment I am mainly painting to progressive psy-trance or Doom/Sludge metal and Psychedelic rock.

Already Dead 2015, oil on canvas, 235x165cm

The grotesque and exaggerated characters and abundant use of colour serve to make light of an undercurrent of darkness. The darkness I believe inherent in our collective Australian psyche. Things too unbearable to consider without humour and satire. The degradation of our existence, our society, of people and the environment from greed, apathy and ignorance. Perhaps it is ridiculous to see beauty in any of this, but I am compelled to appreciate my surroundings. With the drastic changes in the landscape from season to season, sky watching for rain, there is much here to inspire.

Circle Work 2016, oil on canvas, 605x1825cm 1215x1825cm 605x1825cm

In the meantime there is also much to make fun of and it’s quite fitting this exhibition opens on Election Day this year, many will identify with the sociopolitical overtones of these works.

Sicko-Delic, an exhibition by Hayley Arjona is happening at CASPA Gallery, Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia from 2nd to 31st July 2016.